365 accounts: Mass delete required

[robjduk]

Here is the scenario...

My 365 directory sync is set to sync certain OU's because we have SLG (3-4000 accounts) so obviously I don't want those syncing over... During the initial setup months back, I synced them over by accident and the only way I found to remove them was to open the synchronization service manager, perform a search and manually remove them one by one (8 clicks per user). This took me several days to do and a sore finger. Just to rub it in, I also buggered it up a month back and had to perform the exact same thing again.

 

All going well...

 

Just had an engineer to setup some 365 system and he performed a full sync, thus sending all 4000 users back into the system. To his credit he provided a powershell script which removed the offending users from 365 however I have realised the users are still showing on the "Synchronization service manager" and every few hours, it runs the sync again.

 

I am assuming for the third time this year, I am going to have to personally remove all the accounts I don't want again (30,000 mouse clicks).

 

Does anyone know of a better way to remove these users from the sync service manager before I start doing what I know I must do?

 

Thank you

[DavidYoung]

Hi,

 

Do the accounts not disappear once you exclude the OUs again? I suspect if they come back after a full sync then the exclusion is not working correctly.

 

BTW, are you using DirSync or Azure AD Sync/Connect?

[robjduk]

alas no, it just seems to sync the whole directory when manually performed but works perfectly during its normal scans. Its like the sync service manager caches the results.

 

Using a macro creator I found online, I have sped the process up but there must be a better way.

[DavidYoung]

Yeah, it sounds like the OUs aren't actually excluded correctly if it picks them up again in a full sync. Is this how you excluded them: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj710171.aspx. If you can get that working correctly then you shouldn't have to worry about deleting the accounts.

[robjduk]

Long story short (to any future people).... I just found a macro maker and programmed the commands in to it and ran it 4000 times while I got a coffee. Its not THE fix, but a fix.

[speckytecky]

We had a real expert set our O365 up but sadly he parted company with the company a few months after. I thought that would leave me up the creek without a paddle as the support contract with his former company was frankly not worth a thing without him there Then one of our Mods told me she had found Microsofts own support top notch so I have run a few sessions with them since and totally agree. This week for example I needed to completely remove all traces of two accounts so booked a support case through the O365 Portal. MS were back to me within hours and the lady allocated arranged an exact time to call me. She did just that and ran a remote session directing me to run an Azure Powershell session which she directed and about 30 minutes later job done. My guess is that @robjuk they could run a similar session in your case and sort your issue out as well. A definite ten out of ten to Microsoft support from me.

[dblight]

Microsoft Support is what you need!

 

Top Notch!! Log a support request through the admin portal. I had a similar issue the other day and I re-opened an an existing request. They called me and resolved it and showed me how to do it. When he asked me if i would give feedback i said i was impressed with the time in which they called back and he told me "Identity" issues would get initial contact back from them within 2 hrs of the request being logged.

 

Get a called logged..............